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Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler.

Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler.

Sleep

My baby won't nap

17 replies

richmondone · 26/01/2017 15:01

Hello, I'm hoping I'm not alone with this one...my baby is 7 months old. She's breastfed and weaned into 3 meals a day. She's not sleeping too badly at night on the whole.

She's never been a great napper, but recently it's gone dramatically downhill. She will almost always go down for a morning nap a couple of hours after waking-she wakes mostly between 5.30-6.30. Other than that, naps are very difficult to come by. She will fall asleep in the pram but wakes as soon as we get home or to a cafe if we're out and about. I think the probably naps best at home.

The problem is I find being at home for the morning and lunchtime naps totally isolating as that's the time my Nct friends etc go for lunch. Their babies will all sleep in the pram but is wide awake and wants to be entertained. I know she must be very overtired, today she has been awake for 6 hours and that's not uncommon.

Am I just going to have to stop socialising at lunchtime? Has anyone else got tips for a baby who won't nap?

OP posts:

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FATEdestiny · 26/01/2017 15:25

Am I just going to have to stop socialising at lunchtime?

While the phase of baby needing two naps a day does make being out and busy difficult, it is just a phase. In not very kobg baby wilk be on one nap days and you'll have your mornings to be busy with baby.

I'm at a loss as to why your problem is with meeting for lunch?

Lunchtime is usually the best time to socialise with a baby this age. Naps of 9-11 and 2-4 make meeting for lunch perfect! Most people complain that they can't get out to morning baby groups because of baby sleeping. Or afternoon baby classes. But lunchtime? Lunchtime is perfect timing.

FATEdestiny · 26/01/2017 15:26

"In not very kobg long baby wilk will be on one nap days and you'll have your mornings to be busy with baby"

Tumtitum · 26/01/2017 15:31

My baby hates naps! Will only nap in the pram with snoozeshade etc and only continuous walking. It had got better until she started trying to crawl and has continued to go downhill, with me returning to feeding and rocking her to sleep (previously self settling) at around 10 months! She's currently teething too and has a cold. Won't nap for longer than 40 mins. I had to go shopping today, she was knackered but wouldn't sleep in her pram, screamed the whole car journey home, wouldn't feed to sleep, screamed as she was overtired. Finally got her to sleep but now I'm stuck under her and I'm staying here for as long as she'll sleep! no advice as I clearly don't have the solution, but lots of sympathy!! I try not to let myself worry when she's happy being awake but when the overtired screaming starts I start to think I should be trying to do something again!!!!

savagehk · 26/01/2017 15:34

Will she nap in a carrier?

Heirhelp · 26/01/2017 15:38

My 8 and 1/2 month old naps twice a day approx 11 and 4.30 but only laying on me or outside (not in shops) bring continually pushed.

minipie · 26/01/2017 18:22

Am I just going to have to stop socialising at lunchtime?

I presume you mean at the time of the post lunch nap?

The answer is yes, sorry, or just accept that you have an overtired baby.

Arrange meet ups between nap times. Soon your babies may be old enough to want to interact anyway rather than sleeping during meet ups.

Be glad you have one who will nap well at home and doesn't require constant pushing/cuddling!

MrsNuckyThompson · 26/01/2017 18:51

You'll find that NCT meet ups change to different times as the other babies also start to have a regular lunchtime nap. Find other things to do if necessary when your baby is awake - like classes or morning coffee meet ups. But if she is napping well after lunch I wouldn't mess with that to go out for lunch. In the long run you're best served by having her nap well and long I'd say!!

TheChineseChicken · 26/01/2017 19:40

Sorry, having a 7 month old myself I am laughing at the idea of them napping 9-11 and 2-4 every day..! I can only dream of such naps

FATEdestiny · 26/01/2017 21:41

Ours were actually 9-11, 1-3 and 4.30-5 TheChineseChicken. But that's just because of the fact I have to manipulate nap times to fit in with school runs. The timing for 2-nap days would more naturally sit as 9/9.30 and 2/2.30. But many 7 month olds are still on the short, frequent naps so don't move to 2-nap days yet. That's fine too.

Tumtitum · 26/01/2017 22:00

And some are on short and infrequent naps! I'm actually going to try and persuade force DD to have three mini naps tomorrow and see if it makes any difference...

TheChineseChicken · 27/01/2017 06:40

FATE I have a cat napper- she goes down well but mostly only manages 30 minutes. Sometimes randomly sleeps for over an hour. I love those longer naps but wish I could predict when they would happen so I knew I had time to get things done.

OP I think the answer is just to strike the right balance. For perfect naps at the 'right' times you would be housebound everyday, which won't do anyone's mental health any good. Some days you'll be out and about and your baby will have to nap when and where possible, other days they'll have better quality naps at home. This is what we do and it seems to work so I don't worry about it

Luckystar1 · 27/01/2017 06:52

I surrendered to being in the house. It was either that or screaming and a horrendous night's sleep. DS is now 2 (27 months) and touch wood, still does 2 hours in the afternoon. It's simultaneously restrictive and freeing. I get those house to myself.

DC2 is 5 months, she also sleeps better in her cot, so again, for the sake of good quality sleep I'll stay in. As I try and get her to nap while the older one does too.

Soon your NCT friends will mostly realise that a cot sleeper is good, and as naps evolve, I think you'll find that they all fall into more or less the same pattern

Bibblewanda · 27/01/2017 07:05

Unfortunately I too have a baby who will only nap at home. It is fairly restricting but I cannot force him to nap in the buggy and if he doesn't get his nap he screams so it's preferable to be out.

He's 10.5 months now and we can just about get away with him missing the morning nap if I absolutely have to be out (though he's pretty grumpy). I can also shorten the morning nap - he can get by with only 20 mins if there's somewhere I need to be.

My ds's routine is:

Awake 7
Nap 9.30-10.30
Nap 1.30-3.30
Bed 7

So I can be out between 10.30 and 1.30 or after 3.30 which gives me ample time really.

richmondone · 27/01/2017 08:16

Thank you all, this is helpful. I guess a combination of surrendering to naps at home and trying to change when I'm going out will be best.

OP posts:

TheChineseChicken · 27/01/2017 08:30

The one nap I always have at home is the first one of the day - I feel like this sets us up as well as possible

Sunshinegirl82 · 27/01/2017 14:49

Just spent an hour sitting next to screaming ds trying to get him to nap. He woke at 6, had 40 mins at 9 and has been awake ever since. Is horrendously tired but just will not sleep! It's so frustrating!!!

Luckystar1 · 27/01/2017 17:57

My son was like that. I spent hours (accumulatively days probably!) leaning over his cot, patting his bum, shushing him etc. It was hellish. We got there in the end though and at about 11 months I just plonked him in and away I went.

This was interspersed obviously with days when I'd have to rock him/feed him etc but for the most part, just plonked!

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